Revivifying and Reconciling the State: Peace-Making and Narrative Hegemony in Post-Civil-War England, 1646–1647

Abstract

In 1647, after the end of civil war in England, partisans in the peace process competed to attain narrative hegemony over the interpretation and meaning of the conflict. At the forefront of these efforts were historical narratives. This essay exams an attempt by Joshua Sprigge to produce a history that would situate the New Model Army in a favourable position in settlement negotiations. The result was a history, Anglia Rediviva, that strived to demonstrate the necessary existence of the Army to safeguard the future peace of the kingdom. It combined providentialist reading of the Army’s military success with a tightly narrated account of its activities. Working with prominent members of the London print trade and drawing upon the technical skills of engravers to illustrate the text, Sprigge produced a monument to the Army that he hoped would shape and influence the course of the peace process.

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